Published 4:45 pm, Saturday, June 8, 2013

I got a taste of Hispanic culture Saturday afternoon at Mex-Tex Family Fiesta. It began behind a cutting board.

Having never experienced the process of making flour tortillas, I was stoked at the chance to put my hands and self-proclaimed kitchen credentials to the test on what appeared to be a simple creation.

But I soon learned this isn't a skill you pick up in a just few minutes. It takes practice and patience.

Isabel Gonzales, activity director for Casa de Amigos, walked me through the process of turning dough into a perfect tortilla.

After washing my hands, I took some of the dough -- made with flour specifically used for tortillas -- and kneaded one side with my fingers. Moving in a counter-clockwise motion, my hands formed the dough into what resembled a mushroom cap.

With the dough in place on the cutting board, I gripped a rolling pin to gradually flatten the dough into what would eventually resemble a tortilla.

While not an incredibly difficult task, the tricky part is trying to keep the dough in a circular form. At first, my tortilla looked like a nightmare from a high school geometry class; I hung my head in shame.

Gonzales said making the perfectly shaped tortilla takes years to perfect.

The tortilla eventually became oval-ish in shape as I rolled, turned and rolled the dough again and again.

Now ready for cooking, I pulled the thinly stretched dough off the cutting board and flipped it back and forth in my hand before placing it on the griddle. After about two minutes, it was ready to eat.

I placed the tortilla on a plate that was sitting next to a stack of store-bought tortillas. I thought mine looked tastier.